This project studies the biochemical and genetic basis of the formation and breakdown of mutant proteins, primarily using the lactose operon of Escherichia coli. We are also working on the mechanism of phage integration, using both phage Mu and phage lambda systems. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Apte, B. N. and D. Zipser. 1975. A mutation blocking the specific degradation of reinitiation polypeptides in Escherichia coli. Nature 257: 329-331. Zipser, D. and T. T. Gibbs. 1975. Mispair correction in nucleic acids with alternate forms. J. Theor. Biol. 53: 395-402.